College personnel have been investigating the incident in question for several days, and the goal is to reach an amicable resolution with the student in the near future.

The College has examined its policies and procedures, and we are certain that they are in compliance with current laws. The College will work to ensure those policies are followed and clearly communicated.

We intend to have on-going dialogue with local and state LGBT leaders, including the College’s own LGBT organization, as we continue to address this issue.

Students, are you taking Developmental Reading or Developmental English courses? If so, BIG changes are coming to these programs! You must see an advisor prior to registration. The spring 2014 term is the last semester for these courses as they will be changing for fall 2014.

Beginning in fall 2014, all Developmental Reading and Developmental English courses and their associated labs will transition to the new Developmental Reading and English (DRE) format. New courses for fall 2014 include DRE 096, 097 and 098. These DRE classes will replace the existing ENG 080, ENG 085, ENG 090, ENG 095, RED 080 and RED 090 courses. The new courses will be eight- week combined reading and writing classes.

We have extended the Levine Campus Navig8tor program until Friday, March 21 (Friday of the week following spring break).

NAVIG8TORis Student Life’s newest student success program, designed solely to get you to the places on our campuses that are critical to your success. Perhaps you’ve heard about free tutoring on our campuses, but don’t know where they are? With NAVIG8TOR, we help you discover those locations, so you can see for yourself how each service can help you. And, a completed NAVIG8TOR card and survey enters you for a chance to win some fabulous prizes – gift cards, electronics and more!

CPCC, together with Project Life (a national program dedicated to finding and enlisting college students as potential donors for bone marrow and tissue transplants) is partnering to educate CPCC students, faculty and staff on the importance of becoming a bone marrow donor.

The CPCC Chapter’s first official event was held in February 2012, when it recruited more than 300 new donors to the National Bone Marrow Registry.

The next donor bone marrow typing drives are scheduled at varying times at all six CPCC campuses. Details are as follows:

There will also be a Bone Marrow question and answer panel at Central Campus on Wednesday, April 2 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. to help dispel some of the myths about bone marrow donation.

Project Life bone marrow registry is coming to CPCC!

Getting typed is painless and entails nothing more than having the inside of your mouth swabbed. It’s that easy!

Then what? You wait to see if your participation makes you a match and helps bring hope and healing to a person in need.

Help save a life by joining us at one of our upcoming donor drives scheduled at a CPCC campus near you.

The program began more than 20 years ago, when a group of students at Davidson College started a grassroots movement to identify college students as potential donors for the National Bone Marrow Registry.

Since then, thousands of people have participated, and the program has grown to include an expanding number of college campuses in North Carolina. CPCC is proud to be included among these higher education institutions and house the first active Project Life chapter in the Charlotte metro area.

Description: One out of every three FAFSA applications processed by the U.S. Department of Education and received by the CPCC Financial Aid Office are randomly selected for review in a process called “verification.” Applicants selected for verification are required to submit documents needed in confirming the accuracy of information provided on the FAFSA. This workshop is designed to allow students to ask questions related to the steps in the verification process and requested documents needed to complete their financial aid file. Join a financial aid advisor as they go through the verification process and answer any questions.

Description: Filling out the FAFSA can be one of the toughest parts of attending college — but it doesn’t have to be. During this online workshop you will learn the best ways to fill out the FAFSA. Topics include using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, navigating the applicant “Dependency Questions,” and more. All attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the application process.

NOTE – Due to winter weather which impacted college operations, this hangout has been rescheduled to Friday, March 7, 2014.

Description: Financial aid students are required to meet federal financial aid standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students that fail to meet these federal guidelines potentially might lose their financial aid eligibility. This workshop is designed to define the federal financial aid standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and discuss how failure to comply with these policies might impact a student’s future financial aid eligibility.

Description: Students that fail to qualify for federal or state grants after completing the FAFSA process are encouraged to apply for CPCC Institutional Scholarships. This workshop is designed to explain the eligibility criteria needed to be considered for CPCC Institutional Scholarship offerings, outline the online scholarship application process and show students how to navigate the Academic Works scholarship portal in searching for available scholarship offerings.

Description: Filling out the FAFSA can be one of the toughest parts of attending college — but it doesn’t have to be. During this online workshop you will learn the best ways to fill out the FAFSA. Topics include using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, navigating the applicant “Dependency Questions,” and more. All attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding the application process.

Krystal Crowe, Student Life program coordinator at CPCC, and this year’s Larry M. Harding Educator/Community Service Award winner, sees giving back as more than just a nine to five. In addition to her work getting students involved with service opportunities through the community college, she also finds time to volunteer with her church outreach group. “I’m a strong believer in what Gandhi said – ‘the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others’” she says.

Service isn’t just good for your spirit — it can help with your grades. A 2001 collection of studies from the Corporation for National and Community Service cites the benefits of service based learning on academic achievement, graduation rates, and universities and larger communities. Crowe agrees, “Service learning allows students to connect what they are learning in the classroom with what occurs in their community.”

In her three and half years with CPCC, Crowe has helped develop many ways students can learn through giving back. She says students who want to get involved should connect to CPCC’s Service Learning Center which offers projects throughout the semester as well as courses with a service component.

“I am a servant leader by nature” says Crowe. Recently, she also helped restructure the “IGN1TE” program, which teaches students leadership skills through a semester long, non-credit program.

THE Geek Fest, a celebration of innovation and technology, is coming to CPCC’s Levine Campus on Thursday, Nov. 14 and will feature the latest in technology, innovation and professional opportunities. The greater Charlotte community is encouraged to participate in this free event.

A BarCamp is a community-organized democratic event and typically centers around tech and innovation. Professionals and creatives attend and pitch to speak on emerging trends, technologies and topics that they love. Attendees then vote for the day’s agenda. BarCamp Charlotte has hosted seven successful events with more than 250 attendees.

BarCamp brings out the best and brightest in the tech, arts, startups, tech, media, investing, marketing and computer fields. From freelancers to entrepreneurs, to executives and college students, all are encouraged to participate.

Gilda Rubio-Festa, associate dean of College & Career Readiness/International Community Outreach at CPCC, is going to be taking part in the California Coast Classic bicycle tour. The California Coast Classic is an eight-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Riders range from beginners to seasoned cycling veterans. The 525-mile bicycle tour donates its funds to the Arthritis Foundation whose mission is to create a world free of arthritis pain. The tour begins on September 28 in San Francisco. Cyclists cruise down the coast into Santa Cruz, a total of 85 miles on the first day, ending each night in a camping tent. The feat will end on October 5 with a victory party waiting at the finish line for the cyclists.

Rubio-Festa leads by example in taking action for this cause. Rubio-Festa has been training nearly every day for four months, with the support of her husband. She rides her bike almost every day and has been participating in smaller races for good causes. She said that preparing for this race has taught her to ensure that her health is up to par by ensuring that she has all her nutrients and that she remains hydrated. She is excited about the experience and bonding with her sister, who will also be participating.

Rubio-Festa and her team have set the goal of raising $3,000 for the Arthritis Foundation. You can donate and support the cause through her personal Web page until November 30.

The hallways are buzzing with new and returning students enrolled in the fall semester. Classes are kicking into high gear. With so much activity going on around us, it can be challenging to stay focused on what is most important. As a Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) student, I wanted to find out what resources I could take advantage of to better my education or to simply help me stay focused during a busy semester. Here are the top five tips I found:

1. If this is your first year, or if you are returning to school after a long break, take advantage of the First Year Experience (FYE). The FYE provides services such as campus tours, information sessions and a step-by-step application process into the program of your choice.

2. Relax! Brandi Lang, a sophomore at CPCC, said, “It is not as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be.” It is important to take a few minutes out of a busy day, to spend some time with yourself. Take a walk, make a list of your day’s triumphs, or try a few breathing techniques to relieve stress and restore a peaceful mind.” Andrew Weil, M.D. says, “Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.” Attend Student Life events to relax; invite your friends! You can visit in between classes or you can go outside and breathe some fresh air. Did you know that there is a new greenway in front of Overcash on Central Campus? Levine Campus has a walking trail around the fountain in the back. Enjoy outdoor spaces at every CPCC campus!

3. Enroll in an ACA course! Collaborative Learning, English and Humanities Division Director, Laura Bazan says that the classes are designed to help students be more successful as college students and to help students to get a new start. The classes are designed to help students in different areas. ACA 111 is a short-session class called College Student Success that is about resources. ACA 118, or College Study Skills, is a semester-long course focused on becoming a master student. It reviews how to take notes, how to take tests, and how to improve your memory, reading skills and writing skills. It also deals with goal-setting and career choices. There are three other short-term courses as well, ACA 120, 121 and 122. These courses are transferable electives and are covered by financial aid. They are available at all campuses and online as well. Bazan says that many students have said that these classes really helped launch their college careers. She says the classes can help center you and help you get familiar with the people and places that are going to be helpful to you. Data shows that students who complete the courses are more likely to stay in college and have greater GPAs.

4. If you are falling behind in classes or just have some questions about a subject you are unsure about, visit your campus’s Academic Learning Center (ALC). This team specializes in helping students like us succeed in our courses. They provide tutoring and support to help strengthen any academic deficiencies. The ALC website includes a list of the courses they can help with, along with each campus and its dedicated hours and a phone number to contact them.

5. Last but not least, focus! “You just need to stay on the run,” says Kamau Ledbetter, a student in his second semester at CPCC. College is an exciting yet short-lived experience so soak it in! If this moment is hectic and stressful or enlightening and compelling, it will come and go. Make your experience memorable. Seek the help you need; it is accessible at your campus. Look at the road ahead and go for it. Success is waiting!

The CPCC Levine Campus “Fall Student Resources Day” (SRD) is an event when the Levine Campus student resources and services (ESS) professionals and other college partners are available to meet students in an open, informal setting outside of the office. There will be free pizza and prizes to attract students and make them feel comfortable while our Student Resources Day personnel provide information and encourage students to make use of the valuable resources and services available at Levine Campus. SRD is an important student success/retention effort designed to promote exchange between our students and us. Our hope is that students will find this information helpful and will also enjoy meeting our staff personally.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) has added a new Cosmetology program that will begin this fall. In this CPCC Today video, Marquita Hallman interviews Catherine Cunningham, Cosmetology program coordinator, about this new opportunity.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) has added a new Cosmetology program that will begin in the fall 2013. “August 15 is the official beginning,” said Catherine Cunningham, program coordinator, Cosmetology. Unlike other Cosmetology schools, CPCC will offer an accredited two-year AAS degree in Cosmetology and classes may be transferred to other four-year educational institutions.

The Cosmetology program will be taught from the international cosmetology curriculum, Pivot Point. According to Pivot-Point.com, Pivot Point has provided the best hair and beauty education in the United States. Cunningham shared that Pivot Point curriculum is and has been well respected in the cosmetology community for more than 50 years.

According to the Cosmetology program’s online frequently asked questions and answers, the estimated cost of the five semester program is $7,300. These costs include tuition, fees, uniforms, textbooks and the student cosmetology kit. The program does accept financial aid. Eligible students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher to enter the program.

CPCC’s Cosmetology program will have 40 seats every fall and spring semester for full-time students. “We still have seats available for the fall,” said Cunningham. Classes are filling fast and will be held at the completely renovated City View Center, located at 1609 Alleghany Street, Charlotte, NC 28208. Classes will be held Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Completion of the new renovations will be on July 19,” said Cunningham.

Students will also provide the public with hair, skin and nail services at discounted rates after they have completed 300 practice classroom hours at the City View Center under the supervision of licensed instructors. “City View Center will be a 50-salon chair clinic,” said Cunningham. Services will include cutting, coloring, perming and styling hair. “Students will learn to work with all nationalities of hair,” said Cunningham. Students will also provide facial services of deep cleaning, makeup application, eye brow waxing, as well as nail care services with real or acrylic nails and nail art.

Cunningham said CPCC will work with the job placement office after students have received their Cosmetology degrees. “I’m sure salons looking for successful graduates with exceptional guest relation skills will be attracted to CPCC’s Cosmetology graduates,” said Cunningham. Cunningham said this program is for students who like to be around people and make people feel good about themselves. “At some point this industry touches everyone in some way,” said Cunningham.